St. Matthew’s Messenger
OCTOBER 2015
St. Matthew’s Episcopal Church, Pennington, N.J. 08534
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COME JOIN US FOR SOME FUN AND FELLOWSHIP
OCTOBER 3 - 7:00-9:30PM IN BELMONT HALL
BEER AND WINE TASTING AND SILENT AUCTION
TICKETS ARE $20.00
(ADULTS ONLY EVENT)
The Parish Life Guild is excited to announce another October Beer and Wine Tasting in Belmont Hall!
This is a fun social event with our favorite connoisseurs,Amy Vestor and Andy Swords, leading the evening.
(PLEASE NOTE: Donations are needed: We are looking for all sizes of Auction items:Vacation Homes, weeks or weekends, Theme Baskets of goodies, Services or other Items of Value.)
We also plan on having some Silent Auction items available for you to bid on. This will provide additional funds for our PLG outreach initiatives to support the broader community.
We look forward to seeing you there!!
Tickets can be purchased from Katie Riggs or Mary Kay Krokowski between services and following the 10am service on Sundays in September.
Blessing of the Animals
In celebration of the Feast of St. Francis, please join us for a Blessing of the Animals on the front porch of the church following the 10:00 a.m. service on Sunday, October 4th. Whether your pet waits for you or you need to run home to fetch it, we hope you can bring your special creature of God to Church for a blessing that morning.
USHERS AND GREETERS MEETING
On Sunday, October 4th, we will be having a meeting of the parish ushers and greeters between the services. We will meet in the rear pews of the church to review procedures now that we have our new rector, as well as any other issues relating to this important ministry. Anyone interested in learning about ushering is more than welcome to join us. Any questions, please call or text message Ian Hammett at (609) 610-9114. Thank you.
OFFICE HOURS: Monday, Wednesday and Thursday all day, 9am-4pm. Tuesday and Fridays half days. Parish Office (609) 737-0985 or
WHEN YOU’RE IN THE HOSPITAL: Due to the HIPAA Rules, hospitals no longer notify the Church if you are in the hospital, unless you request they notify us. If you would like us to visit, or be aware of your hospital stay, or to offer prayers, please call St. Matthew’s Church 609-737-0985.
WHEN YOU CHANGE YOUR EMAIL: Please be sure to contact the parish office at (609) 737-0985 or to notify the office of any email address change.
IF YOU MOVE: Please let us know your new address and any change of phone number.
St. Matthew’s Church
Fall Rummage Sale – October 9th&10th, 2015
The Spring and Fall Rummage Sales are two of St. Matthew’s most important outreach initiatives. Twice a year we rescue thousands of items from moldering away in basements or filling our landfills, and sell them to treasure hunters looking to give them a new home! What is left, we donate to the needy through the Rescue Mission. Through one event we do good for the planet, for our local community, and for the larger Body of Christ! Along the way, we have great fun, build friendships, and enjoy wonderful food. So, please clean out your closets, donate your gently used treasures, and pitch in a few hours as we once again get ready to Rummage!
Rummage Schedule:
Sunday, October 4th / 11:30-12:30 / Sale Set-Up, Donation Drop OffMonday, October 5th / 9-5 and 6-9 / Displays, Sorting, Folding and Donation Drop Off
Tuesday, October 6th / 9-5 and 6-9 / Displays, Sorting, Folding and Donation Drop Off
Wednesday, October 7th / 9-5 and 6-9 / Displays, Sorting, Folding and Donation Drop Off
Thursday, October 8th / 9-5 / Displays, Sorting and Folding
Friday, October 9th / 9-5 and 6-8 / SALE DAY!
Saturday, October 10th / 9-12 and 12-2 / SALE DAY and Sale Breakdown
Donations: We accept clothing in good, clean condition, electronics in good working order, gently used toys, linens, house-wares, etc. No analog TVs or adult books. Larger furniture items need to be approved by a chairperson. By law, we cannot accept child car seats, baby cribs, medical supplies, propane tanks, oil containers, flammables, or tires. Please place your donations in Belmont Hall or on the Church porch.
If you have questions or want to volunteer, please contact Joe Lawver at 609-937-6177 or
Sale Hours: Friday, October 9th – 9:00am – 5:00pm
Friday Evening – $10.00/ Bag Sale – 6:00pm – 8:00pm
Saturday, October 10th – $5.00/bag sale – 9:00am – 12noon
Christmas Bazaar 2015
It’s that time of year again!!!
As always, our successful bazaar cannot happen without the help of so many. With that in mind, we welcome anyone who would like to be involved this year to join us for a kick off meeting/wine and cheese party in the Parish Hall on Tuesday, October 13th from 7pm-9pm.
Whether you have 1 hour of time to donate to this event or countless, we welcome your participation.
No special skills required.
Sincerely,
2015 bazaar co-chairpersons,
Amanda Morrison 609-468-3434
Elise Thompson
P.S. If you are not able to make the meeting but would like to be involved, please feel free to contact either one of us.
Transition Team…..
It is now time for the Transition Team to take over and smooth the process of getting our new pastor acclimated to St. Matthew’s.
The Team will be involved in helping with housing matters, school needs, recreation and socialization into the community, the congregation, and the Diocese.
Imagine moving into a community and being asked to start your new job within a few days of your arrival. That portrays the situation our new pastor and family will be in early September.
Our hope is that the Transition team members can help by smoothing out the bumps, by making introductions, setting up meet and greets, providing guidance to the local area, and creating the most welcoming environment for our new Rector and her family.
The members of the Transition Team: Tom DiMuzio, Chair, Karen Griswold, Kati Angarone, Lily Horsman,
Paul Bell, Joe Lawver, Jim Benton, Gioia Miranda, Jon Bowden, Sara Ottinger, Denny Rodgers, Gary Driscoll, Vestry Liaison
Please feel free to reach out to any of them if you can offer any assistance.
Tom DiMuzio
Transition Team Lead
Kairos Korner
Teacher Appreciation Coffee Hour
Our wonderful Kairos teachers and staff play a vital role in the life and future of the church and in the lives of the children of St. Matthew’s. The future of our faith! To show our appreciation for the ministry that these wonderful people make possible, we will host a special coffee hour on October 18th following the 10am service. If you have a child or grandchild in the Kairos program or would simply like to express your gratitude for what our teachers do, please sign-up to bring a dish for the celebration. You will find sign-up sheets posted on the Kairos bulletin board in the hallway leading to the classrooms. Thank you in advance for your support!
Kairos Annual Outreach
Each year our Kairos classes come together for a special outreach project giving them the opportunity to think about those in our community who need our help. On Sunday, November 22nd, we will continue our tradition of decorating and assembling children’s meal bags for the Trenton Area Soup Kitchen. As always, to make this effort possible we need your help! Sunday, October 18th through November 15th, we will be collecting the following food items:
· Chef Boyardee single serving microwavable containers of ravioli, spaghetti, lasagna, mac n’ cheese – hot meals please!
· Single serving fruit cups
· Single serving desserts (pudding, cookies, fruit roll ups)
· 100% juice boxes (6.75oz please not the tiny ones)
If you prefer, a monetary donation can be made and we will do the shopping for you! Please give your check (with the notation “FOR KAIROS OUTREACH” on the memo line) or cash to either Lori Cooper or Rev. Barbara Briggs.
A collection bin labeled “KAIROS OUTREACH PROJECT” will be located in the foyer next to the coat room beginning October 18th. Thank you in advance for your generosity and support!
October 15 - Crossing to Safety - Wallace Stegner
Called a “magnificently crafted story . . . brimming with wisdom...Crossing to Safety has, since its publication in 1987, established itself as one of the most cherished American novels of the twentieth century. Tracing the lives, loves, and aspirations of two couples who move between Vermont and Wisconsin, it is a work of quiet majesty, deep compassion, and powerful insight into the alchemy of friendship and marriage.
November 19 - Our Souls at Night by Kent Haruf
“Haruf’s great subject was the struggle of decency against small-mindedness, and his rare gift was to make sheer decency a moving subject. . . . [This] novel runs on the dogged insistence that simple elements carry depths, and readers will find much to be grateful for.” —Joan Silber, The New York Times Book Review
MINISTRIES FAIR - October 25th
Come to Belmont Hall after the 8 and 10am services for Coffee hour and to learn about the ministries of our church. There are many opportunities awaiting you! Getting involved in the activities of St. Matthew’s is a wonderful opportunity to meet others while helping build the community that we all treasure.
Bring your calendars and see how you can share your time and talents.
October ladies lunch will be at Sally Barber’s on Oct. 28 at 12:30 she is preparing the main course and her salad, she needs berries, finger desserts and red and or white wine. Let her know if you care to attend by calling her at 609-737-2543 or emailing her. Sally’s address is 527 Scotch Rd. Pennington. We are going to have a sing-a-long so she wants our requested favorite songs. Sally will
be playing the piano at this meetings.
Hospitality Committee 2015-16 Update:
Hospitality Committee Members: We’re in search of new members to help with Hospitality events during the year. This is not a huge commitment, and members are not expected to assist with every event. Events to include: special coffee hours, a newcomers’ breakfast and other special occasions. Responsibilities may include, but not be limited to: event set up/clean up, providing a dish/dessert or tablecloths/supplies, being a host/hostess at these events – or anything that you may do to help foster a spirit of warmth and hospitality. Note: preteens/teens are strongly encouraged to be committee members as well!
Coffee Hour Hosts: Beginning on Sunday September 13, we are looking for Coffee Hour hosts to serve after the 10am service. Coffee and tea, sugars and all paper products are supplied by the church (as well as juice for the kids). We just ask that you bring a quart of creamer and a quart of milk. It is optional, not required, if you’d like to supply baked goods, cookies or other treats. Instructions are provided, and we are happy to walk you through the process.
Hosts need to arrive about 30 minutes prior to the service in order to set up. Sign-up sheet is located on the board to the right of the kitchen door, or you may contact Debbie Linthorst at or (609) 902-2905. Ideas: Host a coffee hour as a family, older children may sign up together and parents may assist them with hosting, do it with a friend, etc.
If you are interested in becoming a Hospitality Committee member, or have any questions, please contact Debbie at the email/phone number listed above. Thank you.